Refrigerating system



Feb. 12, 1929.

5.15. WILSON REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed July 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I a wgnfoz 151E: Wilmn UUitI IQOOQO fiaftwm.

anemia-l3 Feb. 12, 1929. 1,702,145

s. E. WILSON REFRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed July 15, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 8 wucwfoz Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

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Bar-momma swarm Application and my 15,

This invention relates to a refrigerating system, and its eral object is to provide apparatus for this purpose, which is simple and inex 've in construction, safe and reliable in its operation, and capable of developing the utmost' efliciency for the amount of power consumed.

.More specific objects of the invention include the provision of a special unloadin device connected with the pump, whic 1 equalizes the pressure on o posite sides of the piston when starting; t e provision of special intake ports in the pump cylinder, which increases the heat radiation to coolthe pump; and the provision of a special expansion valve and parts associated therewith, which automatically act as an oil reservoir and a cooler of the liquid as it passes to the low pressure side of the system.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more particularly explained in the following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating one form in which the invention may be embodied.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the complete system.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the pump.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the expansion valve and the parts associated therewith.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 3.

The present system has been devised with a view to using sulphur dioxide as the refrigerant, but it will be understood that the same principles may be used in connection with other refrigerating mediums.

The low pressure side of the system includes a brine tank 5, within the upper part of which is a flat chamber 6 for containing iiquid refrigerant, and having numerous coils 7 extending downwardly from the bottom thereof into the lower part of the tank 5. Trays 8 are provided for containing whatever articles are to be chilled or frozen.

The upper side of the low pressure chamher 6 has a central upwardly extending neck 9, which has a threaded connection with a corres onding neck 10, extending downwardly f i'om a casing 11, from which the refrigerant passes to the intake side of the 1998. Serial Io. 188,888.

with a nipple 15 extending downwardly into the chamber 6, and having a therethrough, which is contro pansion valve 17. This valve assageway 16 Bed by the exhas a conical lower end adapted to cooperate with a conical valve seat 18, and is provided with wings. 19 which guide it vertically within the cage 14. The upper end of the cage 14 is formed with a yoke 20, and a lever 21 has one end fulcrumed at 22 to the yoke, and has an intermediate slotted connection 2'3 with the expansion valve, whereby to control the posi tion of the latter. The free end of the lever 21 is connected b a link 24 to an intermediate portion of a ever 25, which has one end fulcrumed at 26 to the other side of the yoke 20. The free end of the lever 25 is pivotally connected to a stem 27 on which is secured a float 28, whereby the opening and closing of the expansion valve is controlled.

The inner casing 13 is extended upwardly, as at 29, and provided with a cap 30 to the center of which a nipple 31 is attached. A valve controlling stem 32 has a threaded connection inside the nipple 31, and is surrounded by a suitable packing gland 33. The lower end of the stem 32 is provided with a head 34 within a casing 35, secured to the upper side of the float 28 for controlling the float and needle valve. The casing 35 is provided with a drainage opening 35.

The cap 30 is provided with an inlet port 36 through which the liquid refrigerant enters, and the outer casing 11 is provided with a port 37, through which the vaporized refrigerant is drawn back through the pump to the high pressure side. The high pressure side includes a tank 38 which is ada ted to receive the liquefied refrigerant, w 1ich is forced upwardly through a pipe 39 to the port 36. This pi 39 passes through a ipe 40 which leads iiiam the outlet port 3; so that the liquid refrigerant, in passing into the low pressure side, is further cooled by the cold rarified gas,;which is passing back to the pump. Thequantity of refrigerant contained in the tank 38 will vary due to the fact that it has in it only the liquid that is on the way to the expansion valve. As soon as enough liquid accumulates in the expansion valve to raise the float, the discharge of liquid starts.

The pump for effecting the circulation of the refrigerant comprises a crank case 41, which is suitably supported on legs 42, and which houses a crank shaft 43. One end of the crank shaft is provided with a wheel 44, which is driven by a belt from a wheel 46, secured to the shaft 47 of an electric motor 48, suitably mounted beneath the cr nk case. The crank case is provided with removable heads 49 and 50 in which the crank shaft is journaled, and the head 50 through which the crank shaft projects is provided with a suitable packing gland 51.

The pump cylinders 52 extend upwardly from the crank case, and receive pistons 53 which are driven from the crank shaft 43. The heads of the cylinders 52 are provided with removable plugs 54, in which check valves 55 are mounted. These check valves are normally held on their seats by coiled springs 56. As the pump is operated, the refrigerant, in a gaseous state, is compressed and normally forced through a pipe 57 and condenser 58 where it is liquefied and passes into the liquid container 38. The pipe 57 is provided with a cutofi valve 59, which must be closed when the system is being pumped to a vacuum but open when charging the system with sulphur dioxide.

The intake end of the pump casing has a removable cover 60, which is formed with an intake mouth 61, adapted to be connected by a suitable union 62 to the pipe 40 leading from the low pressure side of the system. The intake mouth 61 has a passageway 63 controlled by a valve 64-, formed on the end of a stem 65. A lever 66, fulcrumed at 67, on the cover 60, is intermediately connected to the stem 65, and its free end is received by a groove 68 formed on a collar 69, which is slidably mounted on the crank shaft 43 and controlled by a centrifugal governor 7 O. The cover 60 is also formed with a second month 71, which is connected by a suitable union 72 to a bypass 73 leading from the head of the pump cylinders 52. The mouth 71 has a passageway 74 controlled by a valve 75 formed on the other end of the stem 65. The bypass 73 e ualizes the pressure on opposite sides of t e pump pistons when starting, to prevent overloading the motor, but as soon as the pump gathers speed, the governor 7O closes the valve 75 and opens the valve 64. The gaseousrefrigerant is then drawn from the low pressure side, and forced under pressure into the pipe leading to the liquid receptacle 38.

the system.

In the operation of the pump, as each piston moves downwardly, the gas is admitted into the cylinder through grooves 76 in the wall of the cylinder, and as soon as the piston rises, this gas is compressed and forced past the valve 55. The grooves 76 extend spirally about the wall of the cylinder, and have their ends overlapping the opposite ends of the adjacent grooves. This construction not only enables the cold gases in the grooves to come into contact with the entire circumference of the piston when it is in motion, thereby aiding materially in cooling the pump, but also equalizes the wear on the pistons and their rings.

The crank case 41 has an intermediate partition 77, which separates the cranks from the governor, and this partition also has a bearing for the crank shaft, which is provided with a packing gland 7 8. A conduit 79 leads from the lower part of the end of the crank case which houses the governor into the upper part of the crank housing, and provides a passageway for the gas and oil which pass over from the governor side to the crank side of the casing. As it is desired to maintain a high oil level in the crank side of the case, the arrangement of the conduit permits practically all of the oil to be withdrawn from the governor side of the case, where it enters through the peas sageway 63. The crankcase 4-1 is provided with an intake valve 80, which is used in charging the system with the refrigerant.

In preparing the system for operation, the crank case is supplied with a suitable amount of lubricating oil, and a suflicient amount of lubricating oil is also introduced into the low pressure side to fill the outer casing 11. In order to introduce the sulphur dioxide into the system, the system must first be pumped to a vacuum. To do this connect a cylinder of sulphur dioxide to valve 80. Open valve 80. Open union between valve 59 and cylinder head of pump. Close valve 59. Openexpansion valve 17 by means of stem 32. Pump until a satisfactory vacuum has been created in With motor running, close union between valve 59 and cylinder head of motor. Open valve 59. Close expansion valve 17. Open valve on tank of sulphur dioxide. Pump until a given quantity of sulphur dioxide is stored in system. Valve 80 is then closed. The tank of sulphur, dioxide is then disconnected. Before refrigeration can start, valve 17 must be adjusted by means of stem 32.

To start the refrigeration, the stem 32 is adjusted until the head 34 is in neutral position. As the pump is now operated, the liquid refrigerant is forced upwardly through the pipe 39 and into the upper part of the chamber 13. It passes thence downwardly through the expansion valve 17, into the outer casing 11. becomes an oil reservoir;

from which the crank case is replenished.

. Some of the oil in the crank case works up into the cylinder and eventually finds its way into the expansion valve, from which it is discharged along with the liquid re frigerant but, being lighter than the refrigerant, rises above the level of the same in the casing, 11. As the li uid refrigerant within the receptacle 6 an coils 7 boils or bubbles, the gas formed thereby takes up latent heat which is abstracted from the brine, and chills the latter and the trays 8, which are surrounded thereby. 'The' gas, as fast as it is formed, is drawn through the pipe 40 to the limp, at the same time further cooling the iquid refrigerant in the pipe 89, which passes through the pipe 40.

No refrigerant except in the gaseous state can pass. from the low pressure side to the pump. This prevents any possibility of freezing the pump, or the pipes leading thereto. The vaporized refrigerant, and whatever oil circulates through the system, passes through the pipe 40 to the governor chamber, and is drawn thence through the pipe '79 into the crank case. In the operation of the pistons the rarified gas passes through the spiral intake ports 7 2, thus exposing all par-ts of the cylinder walls to the cooling action oi the rarified gas. This increases the eificiency of the system.

The governor and the valves 64; and controlled thereby act automatically as a special unloading device, equalizing the pressure at opposite ends of the pistons when the latter are moving slowly in starting. This makes it possible to operate the system with a small electric motor, which is not equipped. with a starter switch. As soon as the pump is stopped, the governor closes the valve 64, and opens the valve 75. This action of the governor also takes place if unfavorable condensing conditions should arise to overload the motor and reduce its speed. This operation will be repeated un til the gas on the high pressure side of the system has been suiliciently cooled to allow proper condensation.

The specially constructed expansion valve also acts as an oil reservoir. This valve controls the level of the liquid refrigerant, maintaining it substantially at the line indicated at 12, so that the oil floating on the surface of the refrigerant, filling the space on t e line indi with either a within the casing 11, insures that an excess of oil in the low pressure side wil be returned to the crank case along with the vaporized refrigerant.

he system can be used either with or without abrine tank, and it can be used pressurestat or thermostat, or without either.

While the. invention hasbeen designed with particular reference to sul bur dioxide as a refrigerant, it is obvious t at the same principles will appl to the use of other refrigerants. It is a of the various parts of the system, as well as in the relative arrangement thereof without any material departure from the salient featuresof the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is v 1. In a refrigerating system, a condenser, a low pressure chamber having an upwardly projecting neck, a casing above said chamber and connected with said neck and having an outlet port in its top, an inner casing having walls spaced from the walls of the firstmentioned casing and having an inlet port in its top, a valve cage in the bottom of said inner casing and having a conduit leading therefrom through the neck into said chamher, a valve in said cage, and means controlling said valve to maintain the level of the liquid refrigerant normally within said neck.

2. In a refrigerating system, a condenser, a low pressure chamber having an upwardly projecting neck, a casing above said chamber and connected with said neck and having an outlet port in its top, an inner casing having walls spaced from the walls of the first- I'nentioned casing and having. an inlet port in its top, a valve cage in the bottom of said inner casing and having a conduit leading therefrom through the neck into said chamber, a valve in said cage in cooperative relation to the mouth of said conduit, a system of levers within the inner casing for actuating the valve, and a float connected with said system of levers and controlling the valve so as to maintain the level of the liquid refrigerant normally within said neck. 7 v

3. In a refrigerating system, a low pressure chamber, a condenser, a liquid receptacle, a passageway leading from said liquid receptacle to the low pressure chamber, a casing interposed in said passageway, a

apparent that many modifications may be made in the details valve in said casing, a float controlling said valve so as to maintain the liquid refrigerant in said low pressure chamber normally at a predetermined level, an outer casing surrounding said first-mentioned casing and forming an upward extension of the lowpressure chamber and constituting an oil moans chamber and surrounding the first-mentioned casing and constituting an oil reservoir, a passagewa leading from said outer casing, a pump or drawing vaporized refrigerant from said outer casing through the last-mentioned passageway and forcing it under pressure into the liquid receptacle, and manually operable means connected with the float for positively closing said Valve.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature. 1 i

SIDNEY EUGENE WILSON; 

